Senator Leighton's Wife
by SouthernGirl2010
Summary: AU. Amelia's life is less than perfect, her husband is dead and her life is in danger. And now she is under the protection of SHIELD and the one man she could have lived the rest of her life without seeing again, Clint Barton. He never expected to see her again, when he left her in her bed years ago, she still hates him. But,it doesn't matter, he and the Captain must keep her safe.
1. Chapter 1

The brunette stood there in shock, nothing could have prepared her for this, her world crumbling around her. She stood there, like a statue, as the cheers of the crowd transformed into screams of horror, the situation finally setting in. Her stunned body began to fold beneath the weight of the Senator, warm and sticky blood caked her face and her new mint green dress. She shifted his weight but never let go of his body.

"M'am" came the cool voice of a government agent, who was standing across the platform from her. She just frowned at him.

"M'am," Agent Coulson repeated calmly, "you need to come with us."

"Of course." She responded dispassionately. They would have questions, the media would have questions; the constituents would also have questions. She had no idea how to answer those questions. Another agent in a black suit rushed forward to take the body of Senator James Leigton from his stunned wife, as she stepped away from him. Relieved of the weight, she turned slowly, wide-eyed and looked at the first agent, ready to answer whatever she could.

"Amelia Careen Hamilton-Leighton?"

"Yes, sir. I suppose you have some questions."Amelia looked up and truly saw the agent for the first time, he was short and balding she noticed.

"No, M'am, we know what happened. We need to debrief you. "He stated.

"You-know-what-happened." Amelia repeated trying to digest the statement, because she had been standing on the platform and had no idea what had happened, so she didn't understand how this man knew.

"Yes, M'am." The neatly pressed and calm agent answered.

The entire situation made no sense to Amelia, the Senator had been shot, the crowd of supports was quickly exiting the square outside of this campaign office, government agent and police were milling around, and this man stood calmly in front of her as though nothing had happened.

"I am agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD." Said the agent, as if he were speaking to a child, "please come with me, we need to speak somewhere a little quieter." He finished as he rocked back on to his heels, apparently happy with the small joke he had made.

"OK" Amelia answered, against her better judgment. She didn't' know who or what SHIELD was, they could be the people that had killed her husband for all that she knew. Yet, Amelia gestured forward with on well manicured hand, indicating for Agent Coulson to follow her. Amelia's emerald green eyes widened as she noticed the blood that had started to dry on her cream colored cardigan, and on her sighed heavily, causing Coulson to look up at her. She waved him off as they stepped through a glass while a medic ran by. They stepped into a conference room that Amelia had been in just an hour before. She had been sitting at this table being prepped about her role for this campaign stop. Interns and staff and been staring at her as though she were a saint come to life, or a monster with three heads. Others had been falling over themselves to do anything they could to help her; she had just smiled kindly at them all with her pink painted lips.

The campaign posters were still on the wall, poll numbers were displayed digitally on a board and with graphs that littered room, and the smell of calalilies seemed so out of place with the tragedy of the afternoon. But the smell permeated the room; the Senator had always had them brought in for her when she came along on the trail. The only nice thing he ever did for her, she knew her role in their marriage, and it was not to be his friend or his confidante.

"Mrs. Leighton, please sit down." Coulson indicated to a chair at the table, which was littered with cardstock pamphlets and postcards meant to inform voters about Senator Leighton's position on major issues or his voting record. He pushed a pile that detailed all the work that James had done to uplift the status of women in society, he was weak with women voters which was always surprising since he was so good looking. Women thought he was cold and distant, that is why he had married Amelia. She made him look softer, and she was Southern. Midwesterners always fell for her accent, and the women of Missouri had been eating out of her hand this election race.

"I'd rather not." Amelia turned from the television on the wall, as it replayed the assassination over and over. The right-wing news pundits were already commenting on her response to the situation, as though her wailing and carrying on would have helped the Senator live.

She turned to see a room full of people dressed exactly like Coulson, some were seated some standing. She attempted to make eye contact with the group to remind them who was the dominant person here. She was the wife… no… widow of Senator James Leighton, the democratic Senator from Missouri, and she would be treated with the respect that was due to her. Most refused to make eye contact, but those that did… All she saw was pity, a pity she didn't need or want.

A rage boiled up inside of her, as she stared the group down, until she saw him and her surprise briefly swept away her anger. He stood among the group looking uncomfortable and pitiable, and his eyes continuously flitted around the room like a caged animal. Bruce Banner hadn't changed in five years, Amelia told herself as she smiled on the inside.

Someone cleared their throat, causing Amelia's head to snap around, her rage coming back full force. A bald man with an eye patch and a leather trench coat stood there looking at Amelia. He is eye baring its way into her soul. Amelia shook her head, she had to be dreaming, this day kept getting more and more ridiculous.

"Mrs. Leighton, you will need to come with use once this conversation is over." He stated matter-of-factly.

"My mother always told me not to follow a man anywhere, especially when I don't know his name." Amelia quipped, eliciting some smiles and stifled laughter from around the room.

The man was clearly not amused; Amelia could tell he was used to giving orders and having them followed. James had been like that, at least the man in the trench coat didn't reach out and hit her or yank her hair for such blatant sarcasm, James would have.

"My name is Director Nick Fury of SHIELD; we need to come with us. Your life is in danger, the people who shot your husband," Amelia's eyes drifted shut as she shuddered; "we're actually trying to kill you."

Amelia's stomach revolted at his statement and her eyes flew open.

Kill her? Amelia knew her work angered some people but she never thought it would get that out of hand.

"Seems you've pissed off some pretty dangerous people." Agent Coulson said.

Amelia didn't respond to anything that was being said, she didn't know how. Her husband had died because someone was trying to kill her, the whole situation seemed outlandish.

"Mrs. Leighton?"

"Yes, Director?" She answered tentatively.

"We, SHIELD, is offering you safety. It would be wise to take it."

Again, Amelia didn't say anything but she frowned at his statement and took a deep breath.

"No, I don't think so," she responded, "there are too many things that need to be taken care of; I can't just leave."

The Director walked forwards, annoyance written all over his face, "This is not a request." He said harshly.

"I was aware of that, sir." Amelia responded, drawing herself upright and looking at him coldly. "I hope you and your agents have a nice day, Director." Amelia dismissed him and turned to walk out of the room. She looked at Bruce as she left; his face was unreadable as always.

"Mrs. Leighton, this is for your own good, not ours."

"Then I wouldn't want you to enter into a transaction that has no benefit for you." Amelia shot over her shoulder as she walked towards the door. She paused briefly to look up at herself on the campaign poster; she was pretending to be happy with the Senator in a very domestic looking scene. She was smiling and looking at him as though he was her everything. She frowned at the poster and continued out into the campaign office and the out into the maelstrom of media outlets that was waiting for her.


	2. Chapter 2

Amelia paused at the glass door; she could see the sea of reporters ready to pounce on her. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself and pushed open the door. As she stepped through she noticed she was still covered in the Senator's blood, maybe she should have changed her clothes. However, the blood on her new greed shift dress was the least of her problems. The press wasted no time in pouncing on her. Her lawyer and James' campaign manager were fielding the barrage of questions as best they could.

'These people will be expecting me to say something.' Amelia thought to herself. No one had prepared her before she came out here, there was nothing prepared.

Panic started to set in on Amelia as she stood in the glaring afternoon sun. She had no idea what was appropriate to say when your husband had been shot and died in your arms. She couldn't remember Jackie Kennedy making speeches or answering questions. Amelia truly wished she felt sorrow or even a sense of loss; those were hard things to fake. People would know that her marriage had been a sham.

Finally focusing on the news pundits, Amelia squinted at the lights shining on her-the lights seemed silly to her with the sun still up.

"Mrs. Leighton, do you know who did this?"

"Mrs. Leighton, did you have anything to do with this terrible tragedy?"

Amelia wasn't even offended by the insinuations she was watched enough crime shows, everyone always expect the wife.

The entire world slowed to a screeching halts as Amelia pushed a glossy dark brown lock behind her ear and opened her mouth to talk. The media's bombardment relented as the campaign manager pushed her forward, a hand on the small of her back.

I the time she placed her nude pump forward, Amelia's entire conversation with Director Fury sank in. She had been shot at, not her husband. Someone out there wanted her dead.

"I…" Amelia choked out before the tears of being overwhelmed started to streak down her face. She hadn't cried in a long time, Amelia had learned to lock them away. James always seemed to get more satisfaction when she cried, once she had learned that Amelia had locked the tears away.

The second the first tear fell, the great scurry to remove her from the limelight began. Somehow, Amelia ended up in an SUV headed back towards her hotel suite. Blinking her green eyes rapidly, Amelia came back into focus. Her lawyer was sitting next to her on the phone, probably taking care of all the things she would never think about.

"It'll be okay." The older man leaned over and pattered her knee like she was a child. She nodded and smiled meekly. 'Seriously, what do people in situations like this! Amelia's inner voice screamed as she sighed despondently.

"The police will need your dress for evidence." Said the campaign manager. He had always viewed Amelia as nothing more than a ratings booster which irked her. She had put a lot of time and plenty of ideas into the Senator's campaign. Her Political Science degree from Georgetown wasn't useless.

Amelia didn't see a point in answering his statement.

"Did you hear me?" He asked sharply. He had no use for her now and his contempt for her showed that. Melisa's rage from earlier bubbled up.

Excuse me?"

"Cut the tragic widow bullshit. It works for the cameras but everyone in this car knows better." He spat. "You married him for what he offered you, nothing more."

Amelia's eyes snapped up from the hem on her dress, which had been so interesting just a moment before. The blood stains had created a pattern and she had been studying it.

"Get the fuck out of this car." She seethed. "I have no use for you." The SUV began to slow onto the shoulder of the interstate.

He laughed mercilessly, the lawyer looking shocked. "No use for me? Bitch, we never had a use for you except when James was having a bad day. How's your wrist, heard you got mouthy with him last night." His hand snaked out to grab the wrist he was speaking about, "Pretending you're all high and mighty. You backwoods trash, you were nothing before him and you'll be nothing again." The manager finished, throwing her arm away from him as though she had stung him. The pain radiated up her arm.

"It's interesting that you sling that around," she started icily trying to cover up the pain she was in, "you were just some Coke head frat brother of the Senator's and you're talking about my dependence on him? HA!" Amelia fumed, her voice dripping with venom. "May I remind you, the Senator married for money, not the other way around? You drugged out piece of shit. Get of this car. I have no use for you." She reiterated.

"We're on the side of the interstate."

"So?"

The campaign manager glared at her, and Amelia never looked away. The man climbed out slamming the door and swearing at her.

Her phone buzzed as the sped away, leaving him there in the falling twilight.

BRUCE:

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

AMELIA

NO JOKE…BTW WORST TIMING EVER

BRUCE

CAN I SEE YOU?

AMELIA

I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.

Looking up, her lawyer was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That's going to be a bitch to clean up." Indicating the altercation with the manager.

"That's rwhat I pay you for, right?" Amelia quipped as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the gently vibrating window as they drove on.

Two staffers stood near the door to her rooms, in case she needed anything, but Amelia hadn't said a word to anyone except to her assistant about getting Bruce here without causing a media uproar. It was inappropriate, but she didn't care-Amelia needed her best friend.

She was sitting on the couch, no longer watching the television; everyone seemed fixated on her crying. All it did was sicken her.

"You never were a pretty crier." Came the familiar tone of Bruce Banner's voice. There was a forced lightness to it, he was uncomfortable and Amelia could tell.

"You always did know how to make a girl feel special." She shot back as she swung around to face him. She nodded to the staffers to leave; she didn't care what they thought.

"If you are in half as much danger as SHIELF thinks you are, then Fury's right. You need their protection." Bruce warned looking at her through tired eyes.

"Over cautious as always." Amelia teased trying to throw him off.

"Carless as always."

"If I disappear now then rumors of my involvement will start." Amelia stated matter-of-factly. She understood this world of politics better than any of them.

"Did you?' He queried, sliding a glance at her.

"Why Dr. Banner! What kind of person do you think I am?" Amelia snapped with a hug and pushing off the couch to walk away.

His hands immediately went up in a placating gesture, guilty written all over his face. "I had to ask."

"No you didn't. You've been spending too much time with spies and secret government organizations, you're distrustful. The Bruce Banner I know would know me well enough, to know I had nothing to do with this." She flailed her hands around to indicate the death of her husband. Bruce reached out and grabbed her wrist and Amelia winced.

"And the Mia I knew never would have married a man like that. Let alone, stayed with him." He responded gently to her fit of pique, running his thumb over the top of her knuckles.

Amelia's eyes widened. Bruce must truly be in control of the Other Guy; five years ago he never would have touched her. It had happened once, and the Hulk had almost destroyed Amelia. She sank back on to the couch, thinking.

They had both been in terrible paces in their lives he was having trouble controlling the Other Guy and she had lost her way because of a shattered mind and heart. Amelia had met Bruce on an expedition to Nepal. They were both looking for answers, truth, wisdom and peace were supposed to help. Amelia had noticed him instantly, a lost soul who could barely be around people. He never met anyone's eye and spoke to fewer people than she did. The two wayward travelers quickly became friends. She would listen as he described the monster within, she would try her hardest to build him up so he could live without the fear of the Other Guy. Bruce had sat next to her on the night she cried herself to sleep, listening to her tell the same story of lost love over and over again. They knew everything about each other.

Bruce's voice broke through her reverie.

"You're thinking something."

"Says who?"

"You have that far away look, Mia. You aren't going to tell me that story again, are you? I don't think I could stomach it if I tried." He teased.

Amelia smiled into his shoulder, his right arm comfortingly around her shoulder. The silence stretched between them. Never awkwardly, neither one ever felt the need to fill it with unnecessary words, but it was silence nonetheless. Until,

"You thinking about today?"

"No I was actually thinking about Nepal."

Amelia didn't see it but Bruce paled significantly at her statement.


End file.
